Dr. Calvin Evans, Jr.

Dr. Calvin Evans Jr. is a composer and musicologist based in Northern Virginia. As a composer, he specializes in chamber music, jazz, and music for visual media, with credits spanning multiple films, television episodes, and escape room experiences across the United States. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from George Mason University (2025). Additionally he earned the Master of Fine Arts in Film Music Composition from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Hampton University. He also received the BA in Music Education from Hampton University. 

As a scholar, his research focuses on the forgotten and undiscovered history of African American film composers and their lasting impact on the field of film music composition. His dissertation examined the film scoring career of Quincy Jones. His research has been presented at several academic conferences, including the Music and the Moving Image Conference at New York University and the North American Video Game Music Conference at Stetson University. In 2025, he won George Mason University’s “Three Minute Thesis” competition and represented the university at the regional competition hosted by Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. He was also awarded the 2021 Presidential Scholarship at George Mason University, which supported his multi-year investigation into the overlooked history of Black film composers.

Degrees:

• DMA, Composition, George Mason University, 2025
• MFA, Film Music Composition, University of North Carolina School of the Arts
• MA, Hampton University
• BA, Music Education, Hampton University